Organismo Especializado de la OEA Annual Report of the Inter-American Children’s Institute January – December 2009

Joint Statement of the Representatives for Children of the Member States on the situation of children in Haiti after the recent natural disaster “Technical assistance project for the institutional strengthening in Haiti for an effective protection of human rights of children and adolescents.” Work Meetings with: Representative Office of the OAS in Haiti. Universal Civil Identity Program in the Americas – authorities in Haiti. Judicial Affairs Direction. Ministry of Social Affairs and Labor. UNICEF SOS-Kinderdorf International. World Vision. Haiti and Chile

82nd Anniversary of the fundation of the IIN. 60th Anniversary of its integration as Specialized Organization of the Organization of American States. XX Anniversary of the Convention on the Rights of the Child. Special celebrations

Dialogue with Authorities Meeting between Dr. Tabaré Vázquez, President of the Oriental Republic of Uruguay and PhD. Mario Víquez, President of the Directing Council. Visit of Mrs. Margarita Zavala, First Lady of Mexico and Mrs. Ma. Auxiliadora Delgado, wife of the President of Uruguay. Dr. José Miguel Insulza, Secretary General of the Organization of American States. Dr. Jean Michel Arrighi, Secretary of Legal Affairs.

Participation of the IIN in international meetings XX Ibero-American Conference of Ministers and Authorities Responsible for Children, held in Lisbon, Portugal. Regional Summit of Civil Registries and Identification and Identities and registries, held in Bogota, Colombia. II Annual Meeting of the Global Movement for Children, held in Panama. I World Congress on Restorative Juvenile Justice, held un Lima, Peru. Working Group Meeting held in Montevideo, Uruguay.

Interactive Portal “Our voice in colors”. Exclusive and permanently open space for children participation. Interactive space of communication and interchange between groups of children and adolescents. Promotes the interchange of national and regional experiencies in matters of participation and childhood. Participation of Children and Adolescents

Meetings of the Working Group on Child Participation: Preparatory consultation on child participation within the framework of the Twentieth Pan American Child Congress – 10 Member States attended, hel d in Quito, Ecuador. Regional Workshop on Participation – Second Meeting of the Working Group on Chilld Participation held in Panama City, Panama. Elaboration of the document “Referential Framework of the Participation of children and adolescents” 1st Pan American Forum of Children and Adolescents in the framework of the XX Pan American Child Congress. At – distance course “Participation of childhood and adolescence in the build – up of citizenship and it’s incidence on public policies”. Participation of Children and Adolescents

1st Inter-American Meeting for Children and Youth Advocates - Its purpose was to strenghten the capacities of defense and promotion of children and adolescents rights performed by the Defense Counsel of Childhood in the Member States in the National Offices of Ombudsman. Migrant children and adolescents - to make synergy in the border zones with the major number of cases, to improve the capacities of the States in the attention to childhood going through this circumstance. Children and Adolescent Protection International Abduction of Children and Adolescents – Interactive CD as a diffusion tool of the matter and the at – distance course “Course for attonerys of the Central Authorities and related oficials in matters of International Abduction of Children and Adolescents”.

Commercial Sexual Exploitation of children and adolescents – the report on the developed estrategies by the Member States was submitted to the Secretary General; the at – distance course on the matter was given. Violence – Special newsletter on violence, that includes a video on the physical punishment of children and adolescents. Children and Adolescent Protection

Legal Affairs Regional database called BADAJ, which is a collection of the current legislation of the Member States. Being an important resource for the specialits, researchers, judges, defense lawyers, legislators or scholars in this area of Law. During 2009 the Institutional Technical Guidelines N° 2 was made, on the international legal regime of Adoption.

Communicational Activities Transverse to the exercise of promoting and protecting the rights of children and adolescents, reason why many of the tasks performed have as aim the interaction between different topics and disciplines. During the year, we made three regular IIN newsletter, as well as special series of newsletters. Visits during the year: 100,000

“Protection and Promotion of the Rights of Children and Adolescents in the Inter-American System” Project. Strengthen the capacity of national institutions to become familiar with and generate mechanisms for the defense and promotion of children’s rights. Strengthen public policy, legislation and independent follow-up. Project with the Canadian Agency for International Development

Organismo Especializado de la OEA 84th Regular Meeting of the Directing Council – Lima, Peru – September 22nd 2009 Atendance of 24 Member States of the OAS – 6 of the English Speaking Caribbean. Atendance of 22 Permanent Delegates to the Directing Council. The Report of the Director General was presented (October 2008 – September 2009), as well as a general vision of the XX Pan American Child Congress, including the 1st Pan American Children’s Forum and the executive document of the General Program. Directing Council

XX Pan American Child Congress “Civil Society Forum prior to the XX Pan American Child Congress” held on August 25 and 26 in Buenos Aires, Argentina. The XX Pan American Child Congress was held in Lima, Peru, on September 23rd to the 25th During the organization, the Government of the Republic of Peru colaborated through the Ministry of Women and Social Development (MIMDES) and the Ministry of Foreing Affairs. During the opening session we had the honor to have the presence of the President of the Republic of Peru Mr.Alán García. Attendance: Delegates of the Directing Council (Permanent and Alternate). Higher Authorities of the General Secretariat of the OAS and the host country. Representatives form International Organizations and Civil Society Organizations. Lecturers and speakers of well known international experience. Experts on the topics, moderators and facilitors. Total: 417 participants.

Central Topics of the Pan American Child Congress: To commemorate the 82nd Anniversary of the fundation of the IIN, the 60th Anniversary of its integration as Specialized Organization of the Organization of American States and the XX Anniversary of the Convention on the Rights of the Child. Public policies strategies in comprehensive protection systems, including local systems. The participation of children and adolescents in citizenship building and the impact in public policies. Development of international, regional and bilateral cooperation in public policies. XX Pan American Child Congress

Dialogue Groups XX Pan American Child Congress Were enriched by the presentation of Member States Experiences. Broad participation of 66 presentations of 24 of the States attending. Public Policies - Legislation: Paraguay, Brazil, Colombia, Chile and Peru. Public Policies - National Plans and Monitoring Systems: Peru, Chile, Bolivia, Brazil, and Uruguay Institutionality and public policies for children and adolescents: Paraguay, Brazil, United States of America, Jamaica and Chile. Investment: Brazil, Costa Rica and Peru Participation: Paraguay, Peru, Saitn Lucia, Uruguay, Costa Rica, Canada Brazil, Chile, Dominican Republic and Argentina. International Cooperation: Argentina, Chile in two opportunities, Mexico and United States of America. Dissemination and Communication : Chile and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.

Product of a democratic process and purposive, consensus was reached among Member States regarding their commitment to children and adolescents in the Americas, and the resolutions “The XX Pan American Child Congress” and “Vote of Thanks to Peru for Hosting the XX Pan American Child Congress” were approved by acclamation, in the framework of the Plenary Session of Heads of Delegation. XX Pan American Child Congress

Finances Regular fund for 2009: 989 thousand American Dollars. Human Resourses - 76% of the institucional cost. Important reduction of the operational costs. Specific funds: “Protection and Promotion of Children’s Rights in the Inter-American System” Signature of the Morandums of Understandment with the beneficiaries States. First Meeting of the Project Consultive Committee. Work Plan. “Promotion and Defense of the Human Rights of Children and Adolescents in the Americas Program” 2 meetings with specialized personnel of differnt Member States in the topics of defense counsel and participation. “Inter American Cooperation Program to Prevent and Repair International Abduction of Children and Adolescentes by one of the Parents” Update and readjustment of the contents. Interactive CD as difussion tool.

As Conclusion Higher commitment of the Member States. Impulse the representativeness of the English speaking Caribbean. Abidance of the relations with Member States. Strenghten of the relations with other secretariats and organizations of the Inter American System. Strenghten of the relations with other international organizations related to childhood and adolescences issues.

Thank you!